witchful thinking
by shel
Summary: a.u. – bedtime on a stormy night in 2012...
1. part 1

**CHARMED**

**"Witchful Thinking"**

by shel

© august 2006

_disclaimer: the charmed ones, cole, and leo, and the rest of the cast of characters we've come to know and love, belong to spelling television, inc. and possible other copyright holders. i intended no true infringement on their copyrights; i only wanted to borrow these marvelous characters for a short time in my own scenarios and hopefully return them no worse for wear; the only things i've gained from this story are the satisfaction and pleasure of having written it and in knowing that others may have enjoyed it too…_

_rating: pg-13_

_summary: a.u. – bedtime on a stormy night…_

_timeline: august 2012…_

_archive: please don't without expressed permission…_

_notes: fluff that wanted to be told…there are minor references to s5's 'a witch's tail,' s3's 'once upon a time,' s4's 'enter the demon,' 'size matters,' and 'muse to my ears,' s2's 'heartbreak city,' s7's 'something wicca this way goes', s8's 'still charmed and kicking,' 'kill billie: vol. 1' and 'the lost picture show,' s7's 'seven year witch,' s8's 'vaya con leos,' 'generation hex,' 'kill billie: vol. 2,' and 'forever charmed,' and s3's 'all halliwell's eve'…please let me know if you enjoyed my tale and why and, if not, why not…and, please, don't bother wasting your time or mine by sending any flames…_

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_**Part One**_

"It's your turn, Trishy, to choose the story," Phoebe reminded her three young daughters as she eased herself onto the middle one's bed. Almost immediately the three began vying for position next to her and she tried not to grimace when the three-year old accidentally jabbed her in the side. "Easy, Vicky, I'm not going anywhere," she assured her youngest as she fingered her daughter's long tousled hair, "and neither is your soon-to-be baby sister."

"Wanna hear 'bout you 'n a mermaid," the little girl told her, nuzzling her nose into Phoebe's side, trying to wrap her arm around Phoebe's expanded middle.

"It was very cold," Phoebe honestly commented as she positioned her daughter more comfortably next to her, "and I've already told you that story a hundred times. Besides, you know it's Trishy's turn tonight."

"That's right," the four-year old proclaimed as she snuggled close on Phoebe's other side, "it's my turn 'n I wanna hear 'bout you 'n Auntie Prue 'n a fairies."

"C'mon, Trishy," the six-year old complained from her sister's other side, "you chose that last time. I wanna hear somethin' different. Like Momma 'n Auntie Paige switchin' bodies."

"I wanna mermaid!"

"Fairies!"

Phoebe sighed as she let her girls argue quietly. It had been a great idea of hers to teach the children family history by sharing those events as bedtime stories but a slight backfire was that it took even longer to get the kids to sleep. The girls were nosy little creatures and constantly interrupted with questions, eager to learn and apply their magic immediately. Unconsciously stroking Vicky's arm, she closed her eyes.

It had been a long day at work and the long wait followed by the long visit in the doctor's office hadn't helped ease her tension. She was tired, her back ached, and she desperately wanted a hot fudge sundae. The arguing was growing louder so she opened her eyes. Momentarily amused by the realization that her girls were a true mix of their parents, with all their stubbornness and tenacity, she smiled as she let herself bask in the love surrounding her.

Phoebe felt so blessed to have not just the one daughter she'd foreseen in numerous premonitions but also two more. And she didn't regret a single moment of the pain she'd suffered in order for it all to come true. At least she didn't think so. How could she? These little girls were her world. But when Trishy pushed Sami, she sighed and acknowledged that, as much as she loved her daughters to death, they were oftentimes more than a handful. As if on cue, the baby within her kicked and she sighed again. She was definitely outnumbered. "Enough, you two. I'll read you a story tonight. Weren't we in the middle of Paddington?"

Startled from the shoving match with her sister, the six-year old turned to Phoebe, "No…we wanna hear 'bout you 'n Daddy."

"Didn't I tell you a story about us last night, Samantha?"

"Uh, huh," the little girl nodded eagerly, "when he saved you 'n Auntie Piper 'n Auntie Paige 'n the future."

"Which was a very good thing, because…"

"Because otherwise you wouldn't've married 'n had us!"

"That's right," Phoebe agreed as she leaned over Patricia to kiss the top of Sami's head, "and nothing's more important than that, my ladybugs." She tapped her finger on the tip of Trishy's nose and smiled back at the little girl who giggled in return.

"When's Daddy coming home?" Sami suddenly asked.

"He's busy," Trishy announced, "makin' people fall in love."

"Daddy doesn't do that." Sami disagreed.

"Uh, huh," Trishy emphatically nodded, "I heard it."

"Maybe you misunderstood, sweetie," Phoebe suggested. "Daddy can't make people fall in love. No one can."

"Cupids can," the four-year old declared.

Phoebe smiled, "Not even Cupids, my ladybug. You see, two people already have to be in love for Cupids to help them."

Even Sami looked puzzled, "But if they're in love, why do they need Cupids to help?"

Phoebe thought a moment before answering, "Because sometimes they don't realize they're in love, or still in love, and Cupids help them figure it out. Or sometimes love isn't enough and they need Cupids to help guide them to be together."

"Like Uncle Leo guides witches?"

"In a way, Sami," Phoebe nodded. "Now, look at the clock, my ladybugs, and tell me what time it is."

"Time for bed," both girls pouted.

"That's right," Phoebe told them, "so into your own bed, Sami. I'll be in your room in a minute to tuck you in."

"But we haven't had our story…"

Phoebe glanced down at the three-year old cuddled into her side sound asleep and decided, "All right, which book?"

"But Mommy…" the older two whined.

Phoebe hushed her daughters and pointed to their sister, "Victoria's already asleep." But Phoebe was helpless to the quivering lips of her girls and sighed, "If you're quiet, I'll tell you about when I was shrunk this big." Phoebe gestured with her fingers to indicate about six inches and frowned when her daughters shook their heads. "What do you mean no?"

Sami told her, "That's lame, Mommy."

"Lame," Trishy solemnly echoed her big sister.

Not sure how upset she should be that her daughters thought the truth, her own past, was lame, Phoebe sighed, "How about I tell you a story about a Muse named Melody?"

"I don't think we heard that one," Sami commented to her younger sister.

"Uh, uh," Trishy agreed as she snuggled next to her mother. "Wanna hear 'bout Melody."

"Okay, then," Phoebe smiled as she began, "your Auntie Piper had to make a party at P3 and……"

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The rumbling of thunder woke Phoebe and she glanced at the clock before awkwardly propping herself up. As she turned to the other side of the bed, a flash of lightning illuminated her husband standing in the doorway watching her. She rubbed her eyes and yawned, "How long've you been standing there?"

"A while," he admitted with a smile. "I love watching you, is that a crime?"

She shook her head and crooked her finger, inviting him closer, "D'you just get in? D'you get those two lovebirds back together?"

He grimaced and approached, folding his arms across his chest, "Never have I seen two more stubborn beings who can't see what's staring them right in the --"

"Never?" Phoebe teased with a grin, interrupting. She was about to pull him closer when she suddenly wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Why do you smell like a Grifford demon?"

"Because a Grifford demon crashed my little Project Love-Nest," he complained. "Filthy, messy, gooey, I'm telling you --"

"What? Did it --"

"Calm down, Phoebe, everyone's fine," he quickly assured her. "Mr. Bottoms was so grateful I found the runaway missus that he even gave me a bonus which, I might add, I tried to return but he insisted and, seeing as we've got a fourth little girl on the way, I figured the money could come in handy." But she didn't smile and he brushed his fingers along her cheek, "Don't worry, it's not personal gain since he forced it on me and the heavens won't come crashing down over a few hundred dollars." A rumble of thunder mocked him and he shook his head as he continued, "The Griff was disposed of and both Mr. and Mrs. Bottoms are enjoying their first night of their new start on the road to happiness." He kissed the top of her head, "Go back to sleep, I need a shower first."

"And burn those clothes," she muttered distractedly when he left the room. She stared at the empty doorway which lit up from another lightning bolt. Then, getting out of bed, she smiled as she tugged her nightshirt over her head.

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He sensed her presence in the bathroom but continued to scrub his legs before, without looking at her, he finally questioned, "How long've you been standing there?"

"A while," she grinned, "I love watching you, is that a crime?"

"Only if you don't do something about it," he teased as he opened the glass door and helped her into the shower.

But she didn't let him kiss her and held him at arm's distance.

"Don't I pass inspection, Ms. Halliwell?" he asked with amusement.

"That's Mrs. Turner to you," she poked him in the chest. "What's the big idea of demon hunting in front of innocents?"

"Hey, the Griff attacked first!" he protested.

"And you enjoyed every minute of it," she stated, poking him again. "Don't deny it; you can't hide your feelings from me."

"Just my luck," he muttered, "to fall in love with an empathic witch."

"And you love every minute of it," she smiled as she awkwardly stood on tiptoes to kiss him.

"Damn right," he agreed, kissing her back. He let the water cascade them both before he began lightly rubbing her belly with the soapy sponge. "Sorry I didn't have a chance to call earlier but Mrs. Bottoms had me running around in circles. Amazing woman considering it took eight hours to track her." When she chuckled, he questioned, "What's so funny?"

"You, Turner, P.I., demon-extraordinaire," she replied as she took the sponge from him, turned him around, and began stroking his back. "You spent the entire day running all around San Francisco in order to find one single human woman. I could've just scryed for her, y'know."

"My client, my job," he pointedly told her, "my way. Besides, I didn't run all over the city, I shimmered," he smirked as he turned around again to face her. "And I don't want to talk business now. I want to hear about you and my girls. They get to sleep okay?"

"Eventually…They didn't want to hear about Paddington. They wanted a Charmed story and," Phoebe rolled her eyes, "of course, each one wanted to hear a different one."

"Vicky wanted to hear about you as a mermaid, didn't she?"

"That little girl was born to be in the water," Phoebe sighed before looking up at him, "she must get that from you because not even being a mermaid's changed my mind 'bout the water."

"I beg to differ. We have some pretty amazing times in the water," Cole playfully tapped her nose with the sponge and smiled when she sneezed and rubbed her nose free from the suds. "So what story did you tell them?"

Pressing her fingers into the small of her back, she sighed again, "I made a mistake of telling them about Melody."

"Because then they wanted to know all about Muses and whether a Muse was in the room with them?" He took some shampoo and began to lather her hair.

"It's gonna be impossible getting them up for camp tomorrow," she sighed, contentedly this time, as she closed her eyes and enjoyed the feel of his fingers massaging her scalp. "And maybe you'd better have a chat with Trishy. She thinks you're a Cupid." She opened her eyes when his fingers stopped moving, "Don't look so insulted, it's your fault, you know."

"My fault?"

Placing her hands on his to indicate her desire for him to continue with the massage, Phoebe closed her eyes again and shrugged, "She must've heard you talking about the Bottoms case and thought you were helping them by making them fall in love just like a Cupid."

"Not even a Cupid can make two people fall in love. The love has to already be there."

"I know," Phoebe smiled, "I told her tha-- uh, oh…maybe it wasn't your fault after all."

His gaze narrowed, afraid he knew what she was about to say and he warily asked, "Why would that be?"

She smiled sheepishly and wiped away some dripping shampoo from her eyes, "Because maybe she overheard me when, um, Coop came by yesterday." Quickly placing her palms flat on his chest she said, "There's nothing wrong with him visiting every now and then."

"It's at least once a month," Cole snapped. "He's in love with you, Phoebe. You can't tell me you don't know."

"I know," she quietly acknowledged before capturing his gaze with hers, "and he knows that my heart belongs to you." She lightly pressed her hand to his heart, "You don't have to feel jealous or threatened by Coop. Just think of him as a, I don't know, a guardian angel of sorts looking out for us."

"For you," he muttered.

"For us," she emphatically declared before kissing his chest and murmuring, "I love you, Cole, and I love our children."

"I know," he sighed as he wrapped his arms around her and held her close. "And I know how Coop helped you with your insecurities when you were pregnant with Sami and we were going up against Billie and Christy. And I'm grateful for that and for still keeping an eye on all of us six years later. And I know you don't feel anything more than friendship towards him but he is a Cupid and you've fallen for them before."

"That was before I met you." She squeezed her arms tightly around his waist and promised, "You won't ever lose my love. Close your eyes, let me show you…"

Cole did as she requested and opened his heart completely to her. And he stood that way with her under the hot shower spray until they both felt peaceful and content. Slowly, he pulled back and, lightly running his fingers along her belly, he asked, "And what about this little one? She give you an easier time today?" But when Phoebe suddenly leaned into him again, his heart began to pound, "Phoebe? Did something happen at the doctor? Is the baby okay?"

She deeply inhaled his scent, pressed her cheek to his chest, and wrapped her arms even tighter around his waist, "She's fine. A little small but --"

He gripped her upper arms and pried her free, "Small? What's that mean small?"

"That means," she wearily sputtered as she wiped some remaining shampoo from her stinging eyes, "now we know why I'm so much bigger at this point than I was with any of the other girls and why this pregnancy's been more tiring than the others."

"Don't talk in riddles," he demanded with worry as he quickly rinsed away the last suds of the shampoo. "What's wrong with the baby?"

"Nothing," she promised as she gazed up at him through squinted eyes. "Her heartbeat's strong and --"

"Phoebe?" he gasped when she abruptly stopped speaking and hunched over, butting her head into his chest. Immediately steadying them both, he rubbed the spot in her side where she'd moved her hand and, simultaneously, he reached for the shower control.

"No," she grabbed his arm after taking a deep breath, "don't turn it off. The water feels so good."

"But --"

"I'm okay," she tried to assure him, "honest. She's just a little impatient with her mommy to tell you her secret."

"I swear, Phoebe, if you don't tell me what's going on right --"

"Our little girls are always good at hide and seek, you know that," she suddenly smiled. "The way they use their powers and can find the --"

"Enough," Cole pressed his index finger to her lips. "Tell me about the baby. Now."

"She's playing hide and seek too," she replied, suddenly averting her eyes from his. Would the news freak him out? They'd never really discussed having children, only the one she'd seen in her premonitions. They'd certainly never mentioned any numbers and simply accepted each additional pregnancy for the surprised blessing it was. But would five children, all under the age of six, be too much for him? And what if the twin was another girl? Would he resent having only daughters?

"Phoebe," he tipped up her chin, "tell me what's wrong…please."

Averting her gaze again, she toyed with some chest hair a moment before quietly repeating, "She's playing hide and seek…with her twin." She felt him stiffen and slowly looked up, "Cole?"

"Twin?" he uttered in a hoarse voice. "Twin? She's a twin?" He immediately gazed down at her belly and, with trembling fingers, caressed it, "Twins. We're having twins," he suddenly grinned, "two more little girls…"

"Maybe not," Phoebe warned him. "Her body was hiding the twin's and we couldn't see for sure. It could be a boy."

"I don't care as long as they're healthy." But panic welled up inside him again and he gripped her arms again, "They are healthy, aren't they? You said her heartbeat's strong, right?"

Sbe nodded, "Both of theirs." He was truly thrilled by the news, she felt it. Even the thought of five girls sent waves of excitement coursing through him. "I love you," she kissed his chest before reaching for the sponge, "wanna help me clean 'em up? Their daddy's still a little dirty and now I am too."

But, instead of speaking, Cole wrapped her tightly in his arms and, under the spray, kissed her passionately.

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	2. part 2

_**Part Two**_

The heavy rain pelting their bedroom windows wasn't as soothing as he'd have hoped. He'd thought she'd relaxed in the shower and she'd certainly been an eager participant a little while ago but, as he lay spooned behind her, one arm wrapped protectively around her belly, he could still feel the tension within her. Kissing her bare shoulder, he murmured, "Did I hurt you? Maybe we shouldn't have --"

"No," she quickly said, bringing his hand to her lips and pressing a kiss to it, "don't ever regret our lovemaking."

"I don't," he assured her, "but the stress can't be goo--"

"Making love to you de-stresses me, Cole," she promised as she awkwardly turned over. Settling her head upon his chest she kissed it and snuggled close, "The doctor said we should be careful and maybe cut back a bit but it's not off-limits."

"The only time I'm ever scared," he whispered as he locked his arm around her shoulders, "is when I think I might lose you."

Even though she knew he was momentarily talking in the physical sense, she could still sense the underlying emotions behind his comment. "You won't lose me," she swore. "Never again, Cole, will I let you or our love slip away. God, when I think of how I almost let you rot in limbo…"

"Hey, don't cry," he requested when he felt her hot tears on his chest. But she was already trembling and he knew it best to simply let her get it out of her system. "Shhh," he soothed, "it's okay, Phoebe. I'm here and I'm not going anywhere."

"I lost you," she cried as thunder boomed, "I lost myself, for a couple of years, and because of that I nearly lost our precious babies…"

"Those little girls were always in your future, Phoebe," he told her as he traced imaginary circles on her back, "and if you hadn't had them with me, you would have had them with someone else. Who knows, maybe even Coop."

She immediately looked up and palmed his unshaved cheek with her hand. A flash of lightning lit up the room and she gazed into his blue eyes, "There is no one else for me. Coop or otherwise. And don't argue because I know it's true. I tried to move on with other men. But love was never the same, never the same as what we had."

"What we have," he corrected. He turned on his side in order to face her, propping himself on his elbow. "I was perfectly willing to spend an eternity in limbo just so you would find happiness and love and have the life I know you deserve."

"And I tried," she acknowledged, "but even with that normal life right after vanquishing Zankou, I still felt empty."

"Because you weren't being true to Phoebe Halliwell," he reminded her. "You killed her and became her cousin, Julie Bennett."

"Still," she shrugged with a sniffle as she ignored the thunder, "There was something missing inside me. And when I think of all the mistakes I made with Dex just so I could have that baby girl…I mean I was relieved that first pregnancy test was wrong because I knew deep down the relationship wouldn't last but it still hurt and I felt so…"

He brushed away new tears from her cheeks, "Empty because, despite it all, you'd still hoped the test would've been positive."

She gazed at him with tear-filled eyes, "I think that's when it all finally clicked. When I sat in that clinic and saw those pictures of happy families on the wall. I knew I couldn't force the premonition to happen any more than I could force love to happen. And that's when I realized the only one who could fill the empty hole inside me was me."

"By acknowledging and accepting the truth," he prompted. They'd had this conversation at least once in every one of her pregnancies and he knew what she was going to say next. He kissed her forehead and wished the rush of hormones didn't always make her so melancholy over the mistakes of her past.

"You were the one I was destined to be with," Phoebe declared, unaware of his thoughts regarding her well-being. "In that moment in the clinic, I knew what I had to do. I'd had the clues all along and I kept hearing Piper's voice in my head, telling me that an old friend helped her in limbo. I'm so sorry I didn't figure it out sooner or maybe I did and just couldn't accept it, accept that you were in limbo for eternity. I'm so sorry…"

"Don't be sorry," he quietly told her. "You needed all those experiences before you could reach that conclusion or we might not be lying here together right now with three beautiful little witches asleep in the bedrooms down the hall."

The next boom of thunder echoed in the room and Phoebe shivered, "And then with everything we were going through with Billie…God, if I'd waited any longer to come up with that spell to send you from limbo to the Wasteland…"

Cole tugged the blanket over her and rubbed her arm beneath it, "Everything happens at the right time because --"

"Everything happens for a reason," she completed for him. "What's so funny?"

"Sorry," he chuckled, "I was just remembering when I'd finally gathered enough powers to leave the Wasteland and I appeared to you in your bedroom."

Insulted, she jerked back, "That was funny? We nearly broke the bed giving into our passion."

"Not that part," he chuckled again before apologizing with a kiss to her turned cheek. "It was the next morning when I accompanied you to the manor and followed you into the kitchen. The looks on your sisters' faces…"

Phoebe couldn't keep her giggles from joining his laughter, "Piper thought she'd died again and Paige fainted in her seat." But her giggles faded and she frowned when she then recalled the loud and long lectures she received from her sisters, Grams, Leo, her father, and an old windbag of an Elder.

"But your plan to rescue me was brilliant," he complimented while sweeping aside her long bangs from her eyes, "and not even the best trial lawyer could argue with your logic."

"Especially not after the Angel of Destiny appeared and said it was as it was supposed to be," she smiled before it faltered. "It still took time, though, for us, I mean."

Covering her hand, resting on the side of her belly, with his, and stroking the back of her hand with his thumb, he reminded her, "I had to adjust to being alive and having new powers, as well as some old ones, and we had to learn about each other all over again."

"Not to mention coming up with a reasonable excuse for your return," she murmured, "and what you'd do for a living. We changed so much."

"Not really," he kissed her. "We were already at the best starting point; we had love. And it didn't really take us that long to be sure of what we wanted for our future, did it? Samantha joined us, what, nine months later?"

"You know I didn't marry you just because I was pregnant with Sami, don't you?" she worried. "I wanted you, I wanted us. Sami was just the, I don't know, bonus, for loving you."

"I know," he smiled back at her. "And if Sami hadn't come along the way she did, I still would have married you again and vowed before everyone to --" He nearly chuckled when, for the first time that night, Phoebe was startled by the thunder, "C'mere you, I'll protect you from the big bad thunder."

Phoebe inched closer and quietly stated, "All I knew was that I'd do whatever it took not to lose you again. Despite all our anger and pain, you still held onto love. In limbo for eternity and you used love to help Piper and Leo and countless other lost souls. If anything, I learned from you about love."

"Debatable," he smiled before pulling her closer for another kiss.

"You saved us," she insisted, though in a whisper. "All of us. If you hadn't warned us about the Triad's plot with Christy…"

"It wasn't enough though, was it?" He tightened his embrace as he recalled, "It didn't prevent Leo's confrontation with Death or his being frozen and taken from Piper and the boys. It didn't prevent Billie's parents from being killed. And it sure as hell didn't prevent me from losing you and the baby after you and your sisters took in the Hollow and fought Billie and Christy." He tried to block out the horrifying images of the manor in ruins, Phoebe's broken pregnant body buried in the rubble, the feel of her in his arms as he'd raged to the heavens over their priceless sacrifice.

"You saved us when you helped Piper go back in time to change it and that's what counts. It all worked out, Cole, just like the Angel of Destiny had foreseen." But it had been a bad scare, a nightmare, for them that night and she pressed her body even closer to his, offering her warmth to him, "I love you, Cole, with all my heart and soul."

"I'm nothing without you," he hoarsely told her, "and there isn't anything I wouldn't do for you or our family." He tugged her a bit higher to kiss her and, holding her, he rolled onto his back and deepened the kiss. But he suddenly pushed her back when he realized, "Maybe we shouldn't. You've probably had more than enough activity for one night."

"Maybe," she reluctantly admitted. "I think they're finally settling down," she rubbed her belly, "for the first time today." Snuggling next to him, she closed her eyes while he caressed the babies within her. "I'm scared," she finally confessed.

"I'm sorry I wasn't with you at the doctor's. Twins…" he sighed. "I think Sami may have to start sharing a room again, once the twins are old enough, if we're having a boy."

"He would need his own room, wouldn't he?" Phoebe frowned. She hadn't thought that far ahead. "Can we manage in this house? D'you think we should move?"

He could have vanquished himself for speaking without thinking. Phoebe had finally calmed down and now he'd given her something new to worry about. And the last thing she needed to think about was room arrangements that wouldn't be necessary for a few years. Certainly not all the stresses associated with packing, moving, and settling into a new home when she was in the midst of a pregnancy. "Trishy and Vicky are perfectly happy sharing their room and we've got plenty of time before the babies would need to be separated. And this's all if one of the twins is a boy. Twin girls could share the nursery and Sami could still have her own room. Besides," he added as an afterthought, "there aren't any other houses available within a five block radius of the manor."

She peeked at him in surprise, "You checked? You didn't even know about the twins."

"I always keep my eyes open," he shrugged. "I like to be prepared."

"It was your idea to buy the house next door," she reminded him as struggled to sit up.

"And I don't regret it," he quickly insisted as he tried to settle her down next to him again. "And this isn't anything that has to be decided right this minute."

"We could do some construction," she suggested as eventually lay against him again, "and use the hallway linen closet."

"Split Sami's bedroom into two by using that space from the closet?" He kissed the top of her head when she nodded. "I'm not saying no and I'm not saying I want to move," he clarified, "but we have plenty of time to decide, at least another three months until the twins arrive." He felt her stiffen and glanced down, "What?"

She merely kissed his chest in reply.

Suddenly worried over health concerns she hadn't revealed, he requested, "Tell me what the doctor said. Everything."

"The last trimester might be difficult," she finally informed him, unable to meet his inquiring gaze. "The doctor's concerned because it's twins and I'm so petite and because of my blood pressure. And she said the way the babies are on top of each other and the way the twin is pressing against my -- she said -- she might put me on bed-rest and they still -- they still might be premature…"

"It's okay," he murmured while stroking her arm. "We'll take it one day at a time," he assured her as he tucked some long strands of hair behind her ear. "Honey, don't cry, the important thing is that all three of you are healthy right now." He kissed her, "What did the doctor suggest you do?"

"The usual," Phoebe shrugged, "eat right, get enough sleep, stay off my feet whenever possible, keep stress to a minimum."

"None of which you had trouble with in your other pregnancies," he teased. But she was still upset and he softened his tone, "How can I help?"

"Maybe," she hesitated, unable to look at him, "maybe help get the girls ready in the morning when I'm always so tired or maybe with their baths because I've been having trouble sitting on the floor like I usually do."

His playful attitude completely vanished, "Why didn't you tell me, Phoebe?" She simply shrugged and, in an effort to prevent her from bursting into a fresh batch of tears, he quickly kissed her and asked, "What can I do now? Right now, what can I do for you?"

"Maybe," she whispered, "maybe you could just hold me, 'kay? That's all I really want, just hold me, Cole."

"For as long as you need," he sincerely promised as he wrapped his arms around her. "Shhh, don't work yourself up over what might go wrong," he soothed. "We'll follow the doctor's instructions and take care of you and the babies. And we'll deal with any complications if they happen."

"We need to be prepared," she sniffled, oblivious to the storm raging outside.

He brushed away her tears, "And we will be. We'll talk to the doctor about all the possibilities and be ready, just in case. But no worrying, Phoebe, I mean it. We've got enough stress on a regular basis without worrying about what may or may not happen in the next few months."

Phoebe was spared from responding by the sudden pounding on their bedroom door and the calls from their daughters. "Pants," she warned even as she was scrambling as best she could to reach for her nightshirt that had been earlier tossed to the side.

Pulling on his pajama bottoms, he barely waited for Phoebe to slide the nightshirt over her head. With a wave of his hand, he released the magical block on their door. And he was immediately tackled by the three-year old who had shimmered directly into his arms causing him to fall back into the pillows. He noticed the older two had already shimmered to their mother's sides and were snuggling close to Phoebe.

"It's okay, my ladybugs," Phoebe told her daughters, "you're safe. Mommy and Daddy are here. Did you have a bad dream?"

"It's so loud," Trishy sniffled.

Even the six-year old was shivering next to her and Phoebe covered them with the comforter. "Shhh, Sami, it's okay. There's nothing to be afraid of."

With Vicky wrapped tightly around him, Cole still managed to shift positions so he could lean back against the headboard. He spotted Phoebe doing the same and he smiled when Trishy squished herself between her parents. "Did the thunder scare you, little one?" he questioned his youngest daughter. But she'd buried her face in his chest and he couldn't make out her reply.

Just then, a crash of thunder rattled the windows and all three girls shrieked.

Rocking his baby gently, Cole promised, "It's only thunder, sweetheart, it can't hurt you."

They'd never really had a storm like this, one that had woken all three girls at the same time. Phoebe glanced to her husband before giving her two eldest daughters a slight squeeze. "How about a story until the storm passes?"

"Really?" Sami perked up.

"Mermaid?" Vicky mumbled while nuzzling her father's chest.

"Fairies!" Trishy protested.

"Watch your hand, young lady," Cole sternly cautioned.

Properly chastised, Trishy looked down in her lap, "I'm sorry, Daddy."

He brushed his hand along the back of her head and gently drew her closer to his side. He caught Phoebe's smile as their daughter snuggled close to him. For a split second he wondered what his former colleagues would think of the sight of the great Belthazor cuddling little witches. And anger boiled up within him at the thought of any demon laying a claw on any one of his girls. Never. He would never let evil touch them. Demonic powers or not, his girls were pure and innocent and he'd be damned for eternity before he'd let anything, or anyone, change that.

Sensing her husband's abrupt change in mood, Phoebe sent waves of love in his direction. She waited until he gratefully smiled back at her and then she hugged Sami closer and announced, "A new story then, one about magic and love."

"And I've got just the one," Cole suddenly declared. "It's perfect."

"Hey," Phoebe exclaimed, "Mommy's idea, Mommy's story!"

"Except that Mommy told her story at bedtime," he countered. "It's Daddy's turn now."

"Fine," she grumbled before a smile slipped free, "Perfect, huh?"

"On so many levels," he nodded with a confident smile.

"What's it about Daddy?"

"Well, Trishy, like Mommy said, it's about magic and love and it all started on Halloween not long after I met Mommy," he winked to his wife.

"I'm gonna like this one," Sami decided.

Phoebe hugged her daughter and grinned at Cole, "I know I do. It's when I realized that your daddy was my true love."

But by the time Cole reached that part about the apple peel, all four of his girls were asleep. He brushed his fingers along his wife's cheek before he carefully stood with Vicky in his arms. He took his time tucking each of his little girls in bed and he spent an extra few minutes standing watch over each. Despite the raging storm outside, all was calm and peaceful within the Turner home and he finally made it back to his own bedroom and crawled under the covers next to his wife.

"'m not asleep," she murmured as she snuggled back against him. "Girls asleep?"

"All of them," he kissed her neck as he wrapped his arm around her belly before he slid his hand underneath her nightshirt.

Phoebe sucked in her breath the instant his fingers touched her bare skin. And she gasped as the images crystallized in her mind.

Cole froze, "What'd you see?" When she struggled to turn over in his arms, his sudden panic didn't allow his helping her to be any less awkward. But when she was finally facing him, he ran his fingers along her cheek, neck, shoulders, and belly in order to convince himself that she was fine and it was only a premonition. He took a few deep breaths too, steeling himself for her response, before he repeated, "What'd you see?"

With tears in her eyes, she caressed his scruffy cheek, "I saw, Mr. Turner, that we have a room to paint blue."

**_The End_**


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